Liverpool's American owners have sounded out Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho about the job at Anfield.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett were so wary of being left without an alternative if Rafa Benitez quit, they targeted Mourinho as a possible replacement.

And middle men sounded out whether the former Chelsea boss would be interested.

An insider confirmed to The Sun: "The Americans had read Mourinho was interested in returning to the Premier League and wanted to know if he meant it.

"But it wasn't a firm approach or a job offer. It was more a case of testing the water in case Rafa did decide to walk out."